World Reacts to Pope's Resignation

Pope Benedict XVI's announcement of his planned resignation, at a meeting in Rome, sent ripples out across the Roman Catholic community around the world.

Updated Feb. 11, 2013 1:55 p.m. ET

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In this photo provided by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Pope Benedict XVI, center, left a meeting of the Vatican cardinals Monday in which he announced his resignation.
Osservatore Romano/Reuters…

In a speech in Latin to the cardinals, shown here talking at the meeting, the 85-year-old German pontiff, who has been in office since April 2005, said his strength had deteriorated 'to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me.'
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The Rev. Federico Lombardi, a Vatican spokesman, said during a briefing afterward with reporters that Pope Benedict had been thinking about the move for some time, saying it wasn't due to an illness.
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After a Mass Monday at Westminster Cathedral in London, the central church for Roman Catholics in England and Wales, women lighted candles.
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An Indian Catholic nun arranged books about the pope at the Pauline book center in Hyderabad, India, Monday.
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The pope's brother, Georg Ratzinger, photographed Monday at his house in Regensburg, southern Germany, said the pope had been considering his resignation 'for a few months' and confirmed that his brother was 'feeling his age.'
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Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz of Krakow, Poland, right, talked with reporters about his surprise on hearing of Benedict's decision to resign. Cardinal Dziwisz, who is archbishop of Krakow, served as personal secretary to Benedict's predecessor, John Paul II who was Polish-born and died in Rome.
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Workers removed a painting of Pope Benedict XVI from a room where Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela held a news conference Monday about the pope's resignation.
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At a shop in Naples, Imma Romano hung a sign about the pope's resignation and related numbers, including the month '2' and date '11.' Neapolitans traditionally tie numbers to major events and then play them in the main national lottery.
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People bought copies of the Vatican paper L'Osservatore Romano at a newsstand at the Vatican Monday.
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Pilgrims carried a cross as they arrived to pray in front of Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican Monday.
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Nuns attended a special evening Mass at St. Hedwig Cathedral Monday in Berlin.
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